Conflict
by Reven8e4Ever
Summary: This is kind of an alternate season 4. The story takes place right after season 3. Only difference: The scene when David stabs Conrad never happened. So Conrad is alive. Victoria is still in psychiatry but very soon her ex-husband will put into a lot of trouble and she is forced to make some hard decisions while Emily plans her next move.
1. Chapter 1

****1**  
**When Conrad Grayson left the prison he felt like the mightiest man on earth. This situation right now showed him again that he could get out of everything if he just used his money and influence. And yes, the security man who had helped him to escape would be paid well.  
He thought back to the dark, cold prison cell, in which he had spent the last weeks and it was humiliating, that a man like him had to be at a place like that. And he definitely would never go back again. He was Conrad Grayson; he had to sit in his office ruling the world instead of crouching in a cabin and thinking about his former life.  
Therefore he had to make sure that they would reopen his trial and exonerate him, because it was the only chance to make him live his life as a free man and to be the influent business man he once had been. And anyway in his eyes it was a waste of time to think about David Clarke and whether he could be innocent. He was dead and nothing would chance anything about that.  
Of cause Conrad couldn't take care of his acquittal on his own, he would get framed right away, if he would appear somewhere, after all he still was an escaped prisoner. But Conrad had other ways to get what he wanted. How often had he blackmailed and threaten people to save his own life and protect his social status? He alone had the necessary means to make everyone to his puppet, and he would never hesitate to use them. He was ruthless and everyone, who had ever dealt with him, knew that he would stop at nothing.  
However, he actually was a wanted criminal, and he was frustrated to admit that this circumstance considerably curtailed his possibilities. It really lowered his mood when he realized that it would be almost impossible to blackmail someone as long as he couldn't show up anywhere. They would just call the police and Conrad couldn't risk that. The longer no one knew where he was the more time he had to bribe a judge to reopen his trial. And the police would be after him very soon, he didn't want to reduce the time he had left.  
He snorted angrily when he remembered that after his arrest he also couldn't get his money back. But without it a part of him was missing. He had been used to have much more money than he could spend and now he stood there without anything. But he was a Grayson, which meant something. Whatever happened, he would always have his name. And even if it was a little bit dishonored since he had been sent to jail, Conrad new that his name would always be an advantage, and he would fight to get his life back, no matter what! And then he suddenly thought about his former wife and he was sure that, if he used his power right, she would do anything to help him.

* * *

How long would she have to stay at this awful place? Victoria stood at the window in her room at Clairmont Psychiatry and looked outside. She tried to be strong but on some days she found it hard. This place was so bleak, she felt lonely and left and the worst of all was: Emily Thorne -or should she say Amanda Clarke?- was the reason why she was here. She finaly had triumphed and that was a fact Victoria didn't like. She was alone, no one knew where she was and nobody would look for her. That thought was painful, she didn't know if she would ever leave the psychiatry. There wasn't much hope, Emily would ensure that Victoria would be locked up as long as possible, maybe forever. But she tried to believe that there would be a day when she would return to her castle and to her life as the Queen Of The Hamptons.  
Victoria was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, when the door opened. One of the carers came in, together with a young, red-haired woman. She carried a lot of luggage and was discussing wildly. "You can't lock me up here! I am perfectly healthy; I don't need any psychological help!" The guy, who had brought her in, sighed. "Your mother decided to check you in, she -" "Because she wants to get rid of me! She hates me! But I don't belong here, this institution is for insane people, which I am not! So don't you dare to leave me alone here!" "I'm sorry but I can't help you." The man turned to Victoria who was still standing at the window and had silently watched the situation. "Louise is your new roommate. I thought that maybe you could take care of her until she has settled here." Then he left the room and Victoria was alone with the new patient. The young woman looked grimly at the closed door. "This is so unfair! I never did anything that would justify checking me in. If they would just listen to me instead of my mother! She destroyed my whole life, but this time she's gone too far! It's just despicable to lock me up at a place like this!" She looked at Victoria who seemed a bit overwhelmed by this outburst. Than the girl remembered her social grace. "Oh, I'm sorry. Louise Ellis", she said holding out her hand. Victoria squeezed it after a moment of hesitation. "Victoria Grayson." Louise gasped excited. "THAT Victoria Grayson!? The wife of Conrad Grayson?" "Ex-wife", Victoria corrected with a smile. Louise radiated. She already heard much about the Graysons and she had always admired Victoria. Now she thought that maybe this place wasn't that bad at all. "It is such a great pleasure to meet you! Maybe this isn't the perfect place and time but I've always wanted to get to know you. I have so much admiration for you!" Victoria smiled again, she was used to people who were excited when they met, it usually didn't meant much to here but in here it was nice to hear some friendly words. After she finally calmed down, Louise started to unpack her suitcase while Victoria lost herself in her thoughts again.  
Actually she had no desire to share her room with that girl and to 'take care of her'. She had enough own problems and wasn't sure whether she wanted to listen to another angry outburst by Louise. But on the other hand it was comforting that she wasn't completely alone at this cold place. And it had a calming effect that there was someone who didn't talk to her as if she was crazy. Also Louise didn't seem to judge her because of the things Conrad had done. In fact there had been more than one situation when people in the psychiatry looked angrily at her or whispered behind her back. And a few days ago an older woman had even shouted at her, named her a 'monster', who wasn't the innocent she claimed to be and that she should be killed right away for the things she had done. Words like that hurt. Victoria knew that she had made mistakes that she had made some wrong decisions but she couldn't change it. And she hated, if people confused her sins with Conrad's and judged her because of him. That was something she really despised. Never, ever she wanted to be compared to Conrad! He was the one who destroyed her life (right after Emily Thorne) and in her opinion he was a much worse person than she was.  
"Why are you even here?" Again Victoria was snapped out of her thoughts. Louise had finished unpacking and sat on her bed. "What do you mean?", Victoria asked warily. "Well, I never had the feeling that you were... crazy. Of cause I don't really know you, but why is the Queen of the Hamptons in a psychiatry? You don't belong here." Victoria sighed. "I don't really want to be here... and you're right, I'm not crazy. It's a long story." She didn't want to talk about Emily and how humiliating it was to be imprisoned by that damn woman. So she continued quickly: "What about you? You said something about your mother? What happened?" Louise swallowed. Suddenly it seemed to be hard for her to talk and Victoria felt a twinge of pity for the girl. With a few steps she crossed the room and sat down on the bed next to Louise. "My mother always let me feel that my brother was her favorite. He was that perfect son every mother dreamed of and I was just... me. And when my father died everything got worse." Louise tried not to let Victoria see how wet her eyes got at the mention of her father. He had always been there for her and he had never treated her the way her mother did. "My mother had never been there when I would have needed her. She always had better things to do than worry about her daughter." Hesitantly Victoria put her arm around Louise and she thought about her own mother. The things which had destroyed her childhood. Victoria had always pushed away the memories of her past; she had tried to leave it behind her. But she knew that her whole life had been influenced by the doings of her mother. She had kicked her out when she was fifteen, she had murdered a man, of cause these things had left their marks on Victoria. A bit helpless she tried to comfort Louise; a stranger with which she seemed to have so much in common. The younger woman wiped away a tear, then she continued: "One day my mother decided that she had to get rid of me. She used her good relationships to a lot of people, and managed to check me in... She locked me up here and I don't even know why." Victoria saw the desperate look on Louise's face and more than before she felt reminded of herself. Moreover in this moment the mother in her woke up and so she pulled the girl into a gentle embrace. "I know what you are going through.", she said softly, "but you are strong, you will make it. And your mother isn't worth to think about her just one more second!"  
Victoria didn't know herself what she was doing. She sat here in her room in Clairmont Psychiatry, holding a young woman in her arms and tried to make her stop crying. It was a really strange situation, and Victoria was relieved when Louise finally calmed down. They sat there for a while, silent, each of them lost in her own thoughts. Victoria asked herself what could have happened, if her mother hadn't been that cruel. Would she ever had become Conrad's wife? Probably not. She never would have got one of her beloved children... and she also never would have met David. The thought at him was painful too. He was the only man she had ever truly loved and he was dead... and it was her fault. No, Conrad had threatened her, she had had no choice. That was what she always told herself. But was it true?  
In this moment the man who had brought Louise came back. "Louise? There were some single therapy sessions prescribed for you. The first will start in a few minutes. Would you please follow me?" Louise stood up and was almost at the door, when she turned around again. "Victoria? I am glad to have you as my roommate. It's good to know that I am not alone in here."

* * *

**Okay, I hope you liked this; it's my very first fanfiction, so if you have some tips or suggestions for improvement please let me know!**  
**I know, this chapter is very similar to the show, but that will change within the next chapters. ****I just needed a basic on which I can build up my story.**  
**The first six chapters** **are alr****eady written so I think you won't have to wait too long for the next one. And believe me, I had a reason to let Conrad alive... ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

****2****  
"Victoria, this is my third try to reach you, I don't know where you are even though I am pretty sure you have some fun while I am sitting here and wait for you to call me back! Great. I know you have no desire to help me, but I don't think you really have a choice. You know who I am, so answer the damn call or I swear, you'll regret it!" Conrad put down his phone angrily and frustrated and again, he wondered if his godforsaken ex-wife was just too stupid to call him back or if she actually enjoyed letting him suffer. But in fact it didn't make a difference, Conrad knew how to make her do anything he wanted, and if she still refused to help him he would definitely use his knowledge.  
For two whole days he had been sitting in the ruin of the old Grayson Global building. The idea had popped up in his head when he had thought about a place to hide. After the bomb which had destroyed a significant part of the building two years ago, he had used the opportunity to buy a new and bigger one but the ruin was still there and Conrad was sure that no one would search for him in there. On the contrary, it was really cold and uncomfortable, he didn't have anything to eat and the rats which came out at night didn't make it any better. So after this third call Victoria hadn't answered, Conrad decided that it was time to make another phone call...

* * *

David Clarke screamed painfully when he fell down. His body laid on the ground, his chest covered in his own blood. Next to him the black silhouette of Conrad who held a knife in his hand and looked down at the dead body to his feet. Victoria watched the situation, silent tears ran over her face. She couldn't do anything; couldn't look away, couldn't move, couldn't even make any noise. She wanted to scream, stabbing the knife into Conrad for what he did to the man she had loved, but it was impossible, she was only able to watch. She felt horrible, and she knew it wasn't over yet. Another man came up to her out of the shadow. Victoria desperately tried to scream his name, but it was hopeless. Conrad fixed the man's eyes and started to speak: "Dominik White. Did you really think you could steal my wife? Not with me, idiot! Victoria belongs to me, she always will and I won't let anyone take her away!" And again, Conrad raised the knife. Victoria tried to look away, she couldn't endure this but like always she was forced to watch Conrad killing another man. Dominik fell down next to David. Victoria's whole world crashed down, she had nothing left, she desperately wanted this to stop, a part of her even whished Conrad would kill her, so that she wouldn't be forced to live with this pain. But then the light turned on. She felt a twinge of hope when a third man walked up to her, smiling. She knew him and she once had loved him a long time ago. To see him now made her feeling safe, she forgot where she was and what had happened just a few seconds ago. The man kneeled down in front of her and was about to open the little box in his hands. The box which's content wasn't just a ring but also the promise of a better life with a man she loved. But all that new hope was gone in one fell swoop when Pascal LeMarchal fell forward, Conrad's knife sticking in his back. This time Victoria was able to scream. The light turned off again and she sunk down next to Pascal's motionless body. "You could have avoided this, Victoria. They didn't need to die, but you didn't left me another option. It's your fault; they all died because of you." Conrad's voice was calm and threatening at the same time and Victoria felt worse than ever before. She heard Conrad turning around and leaving the room; letting her alone in the darkness with all her guilt.  
And then she finally woke up.  
Hard breathing and sweaty she sat in her bed, and she needed a while to realize that it had been a dream. Victoria felt weak and powerless in the dark room, and the pictures of her nightmare didn't disappear from her inner eye. Silently, she started to cry. This wasn't the first time. She had had this dream very often since Pascal's death and it wasn't only a nightmare. It was reality. Conrad had ruined her life; David died because of him, Dominik was gone and Pascal... this thought hurt the most. It was the freshest wound and also, it had been Emily who had caused Pascal's death even though Conrad had finally killed him. Pascal had wanted to marry Victoria but Emily and Conrad had ruined her opportunity of a wonderful life, and now she sat in a psychiatry, not being able to punish them for what they did to her. At least Conrad was in prison. That gave her a little satisfaction but Emily was still out there, hurting more and more people while implanting her sick plans of taking revenge into action. Who knew what she had done during the last months? Maybe Charlotte and Daniel were already dead, and Victoria just didn't know it. She sobbed at the thought of it and wrapped her blanket tighter around her body. She couldn't stop the tears which ran over her cheeks and she didn't even try to. She had rarely felt so alone... "Victoria?" But she wasn't alone. "Is something wrong?" Louise must have woken up by Victoria's sobs. Carefully, she came over to Victoria's bed and sat next to her. "What is it? Why are you crying?" Victoria whipped away some tears and tried to calm down. "It's nothing. I'm alright, go back to sleep." She just couldn't talk about it. Not now and not with Louise who she didn't even know very well. But Louise resisted. "You are not alright! Come on, you rolled around in your sleep and now you sit here and cry. I'm not stupid. But you can tell me! I told you about my mom, too." That was right. From the very start Louise had been completely honest about her past and Victoria had liked to be there for her. But she hadn't been the crying one then. She had been the one who was strong and comforting, that was something she was proud of. If it came to protect her children, she was able to put their problems over her own ones at any time, and with Louise it had been a similar feeling. She felt responsible for the girl and she liked the thought that she was needed. But now she was the one who cried, she was weak and powerless and that was something she hated. But a part of her actually liked the thought that someone cared about her; she had rarely experienced that and it felt good. So she decided to tell Louise at least a part of her story, even if it made her seeming vulnerable. "I lost everything. Maybe I never showed it in public but my marriage was a whole mess. Conrad toke everything away from me." Victoria swallowed. It was hard to talk about it but she also felt kind of relieved. Louise put an arm around her. "I heard about that thing with David Clarke. You loved him, didn't you?" "I did. Conrad blackmailed me to betray David. I had no choice nevertheless I regretted it ever since. And people have nothing else to do than to blame me for it." Again, Victoria broke out into tears. To talk about her past let all the feelings come up again even more intensive. She tried to continue: "Conrad never stopped hurting me. About twenty years later, I had an affair... Dominik White. We had been a couple years ago, and we found back together- I loved him.", she whispered. Louise gasped. "Did Conrad... Did he kill him?" "No. But when he figured out about us he forced him to leave the country. I don't know what happened to him. I never saw him again." Louise seemed unable to talk. "I... I am so sorry, Victoria." For a while they just sat there. Victoria wondered whether she should tell Louise about Pascal, too. But then she would have to tell about Emily and she couldn't do that. It was a war just between them two and she didn't want Louise to be involved in it. So she decided to skip that part. "Tonight I just had a nightmare. About Conrad and the people I've lost; but I'm okay, really." Louise put her arms around Victoria. It felt good and Victoria was glad for not being alone but Louise was just her roommate and she wished to be with her loved ones. At home. With Pascal and her children. But Pascal was dead and she had no idea what happened to Daniel and Charlotte. She tried not to think about that. They must be safe. But her worries didn't disappear. Victoria had to get out of the psychiatry at any costs!

* * *

The art gallery Patrick Osbourne ran was a little one. There weren't many customers but he earned enough money to live with it and he liked his job. Like always when there wasn't anyone in the gallery, Pascal stood in a backroom and worked on his own paintings. Currently, he painted an apple tree in front of a blue sky and some white clouds. It had a calming effect on him and that was something he really needed. Of course he had a job he liked and he had friends who were there for him but that couldn't make him forget the things that happened before he had come here. He hadn't heard from his mother since he had left the Hamptons the year before but he knew from the media that her fiancé Pascal had died a few weeks ago and that Conrad had been sent to prison. It must be hard for her to deal with all of that and although Victoria had her children, Patrick was sure that she must feel alone since her relationship with Charlotte and Daniel hadn't been very good the recent year. Therefore, Patrick had tried to call Victoria but there had just been the mailbox and that really worried him. She would never ignore him. He wondered if something had happened to her or if she just wanted to be alone. Maybe he should go back to the Hamptons to look after her. Especially now when Conrad was gone, it should be safe to come back. So he finally decided to go and take care of his mother. She would need him and he knew she would be glad to see him. He was just about to look for a flight to the Hamptons when the phone in the gallery room rang. He expected a customer who needed some information about the gallery but when he answered the phone call he heard a very familiar voice which let a shiver run down his spine. "Hello Patrick. This is Conrad Grayson - I need your help."


	3. Chapter 3

****3****  
The ruin of the old Grayson Global building looked ominous and scary in front of the dim sky. Patrick had mixed feelings when he opened the broken door and entered the edifice. Everything was dusty and cold, it smelled of decay and a rat ran through the former entrance hall when the door closed behind Patrick. When Conrad had called him he had been surprised but apparently Conrad had found a way to make a phone call. That man would always find a way to get his will and now he had proven it again. But to hear his voice had made all the anger come up in Patrick again and he would have loved to yell at Conrad and accuse him of all the things he had done to Victoria. But then Conrad had told him about Victoria being in danger and even if Patrick wasn't sure if he could trust him, he couldn't risk letting his mom suffer. She had been through so much and if something happened to her it would be his own fault. He should have showed up earlier. So Patrick had taken the first flight to the Hamptons and now he stood in this old building, searching for his mother. According to Conrad she had been abducted a few days ago and provided that she was still alive, she had to be somewhere in here. "Mom!? Are you here?" No reply. "Victoria!?" Nothing. The silence was horrifying and Patrick imagined the worst. Pictures of his mother, covered with blood appeared in his head. He tried to push them away, but it was hard. Carefully, he climbed up the stairs to look for Victoria in the upper floors. After about ten minutes he reached the spot where the bomb had exploded two years ago. Everything was destroyed, the glass in the windows was broken, and parts of the walls were covered with moss. "Victoria! Where are you!?" Full of fear Patrick climbed over a pile of stones when he suddenly felt something pressed against his mouth. In the fraction of a second he knew that he had fallen into a terrible trap; then everything went black.

* * *

When Patrick woke up, he was tied to a pillar. He needed a while to remember what had happened. He had searched for his mother in the old building and then he had lost consciousness. First he thought that his attacker was Victoria's abductor who had heard Patrick when he had screamed his mother's name. But where was he? And where was Victoria? Nothing made sense. How had Conrad known about the abduction? Patrick shook his head. There was a mistake; someone had lured him into a trap. And he had an assumption who that person could be. He didn't really know why Conrad should do this, but he had told Patrick to come here in the first place and he was the only one who could have known where Patrick was. He had thought that Conrad had been in prison, but obviously he wasn't anymore and now he had used Victoria's supposedly abduction as a bait to get to Patrick.  
Heavy steps which came up to him made him look up. There he was: Conrad Grayson the sentenced murderer of so many people stood right in front of him and looked down at Patrick. His gaze was cold and nasty. "I knew you would come, Patrick." "Where is Victoria!?" Patrick tried to get rid of his tie ups but they were too tight. Conrad smiled. "That is a really good question. I thought that maybe you could help me with it." Patrick breathed hardly, all the anger he felt for this man came up and he couldn't resist it. "If you hurt her in any way, I swear, you'll regret it! I will make you pay for the things you have done to my mother! How can you even stand here without feeling any guilt for all your sins!?" Conrad raised his hand to interrupt him but Patrick hadn't finished. "She went through so much, her life was harder than everything you've ever experienced but she always stood up and fought for a better one! How could you do all that to her, how can you even live with yourself?" He took a deep breath, "I will make you pay Conrad, and if it's the last thing I'll do!" Conrad didn't seem afraid or even surprised in any way. He just kept smiling. "It's really sweet how much you love you mother, Patrick. But you have to admit that your threats aren't very scary as long as you sit on the ground and can't move. So... I suggest you forget your payback plans and listen to me." Patrick swallowed. It was hard to push away all his fury but Conrad was right, he wasn't really intimidating while he was tied to a pillar. And if he wanted to get out of this situation he would have to listen to Conrad. "Okay. Why did you want me to come here?" Conrad started walking up and down in the room. "You're just a little puppet in a big project. After I broke out of the prison-" Patrick gasped, "You broke out!?" "Don't interrupt me, or I'll kill you right away! For my plan you don't have to be alive!" Patrick nodded a bit shyly and Conrad continued: "After I broke out of the prison you will understand that I can't walk around like nothing ever happened. First, I have to make them reopen my trial and exonerate me. And for that I need Victoria. She's the only one who will be able to bribe a judge since I can't show up anywhere. But after everything that's happened she doesn't seem very willing to help me-" "What a surprise!", Patrick said sarcastically. Conrad made a step forward and grabbed Patrick's throat. "Didn't I tell you not to interrupt me!? God, you're like your mother! Shut up now, I'm serious!" His hands slowly tightened around Patrick's neck. "I'm sorry", Patrick whispered. He wasn't someone who got afraid easily but he didn't want to risk anything. "Please continue." Conrad stepped back from Patrick and gave him a warning look. "I killed a lot of people; I will not hesitate to do the same with you if you can't watch your mouth! Well... back to me: I have to make Victoria help me and this is the part where you'll come up. If she hears that you're my prisoner, I'm sure she will do anything to help you. Just like you came to save her. And if she doesn't... well, then you will die with the thought that your mother didn't care enough about you to save your life. And believe me, I won't miss you. Doesn't that sound like a good plan?" Patrick swallowed. Conrad was capable of so much more than he had thought. But he could see a very serious flaw in that plan. "Victoria didn't respond to any of my calls, and neither to yours. We have no idea where she is; maybe she doesn't receive any messages? How will she be able to come if she doesn't know what happened to me?" But Patrick already knew the answer. "That's not my problem. Either she shows up in time... or she doesn't. You can just hope the best; your life is on her hands. And now excuse me, I have to make a phone call. But first..." Patrick felt a heavy pain when Conrad's fist hit his nose. Blood ran over his face and dropped on the floor. Conrad grinned grimly, while taking a picture of Patrick's face covered with blood. "Maybe this will make her hurry up." Then he left the room. Patrick felt worse than ever before. Conrad would threat Victoria and it was his own fault. He could be dead within hours if Conrad decided to get rid of him. He hated himself for being so naïve; he shouldn't have come here! While Patrick thought about how stupid he had been, he heard Conrad calling Victoria in another room. Or at least he tried to; he seemed to talk to a mailbox. "Do you recognize Patrick on the photo? Maybe you should help him, Victoria. I give you three days to come to the old Grayson Global building. Otherwise, your beloved son will die like so many others before him!"


	4. Chapter 4

****4****  
When the chief of Clairmont Psychiatry had called Victoria into his office an hour ago, she had been very confused. And if she hadn't been able to remember every single word of the following conversation she still wouldn't believe it. Three days had passed since her nightmare and compared to her current situation, she had been in a very good mood. She had enjoyed her breakfast with Louise; they had told some funny stories of their past to cheer each other up and also the rising sun had been shining through the windows which had given the room a wonderful, warm atmosphere. Then, in the middle of a story about Daniel's first words, a carer had come into their room. "Victoria, would you please follow me to the principal's office? He wants to talk to you." If the principal called a resident into his office it usually didn't mean something good. When an old woman had visited him a few weeks ago she had come back with the news that her husband had passed away. Some days later, a young man had been told that his sister had had a car accident. Victoria and Louise had shared a confused look, and then she had left her room with the man. Victoria had been very afraid and she had been sure that something terrible had happened. The principal had been sitting behind a big, wooden desk and had looked at Victoria through his round glasses. "Take a seat, please." Victoria had sat down in front of the desk and had waited. She rarely had been so nervous, and she had thought that everything would have been over. Emily must have found a way to hurt her even more than she already had. So the following words had taken Victoria by surprise: "Mrs. Grayson, I have some good news: After I talked to several doctors about your condition, I am absolutely sure that I can release you." There had been a moment of silence in the office, and Victoria had needed a while to understand these words. "What!?" She had been sure that she had misunderstood him but it hadn't seemed so. "You made good progress and I think you're able to go the rest of your way alone. You don't need to stay here any longer. Of course, if you want to...-" Victoria shook her head, "No. I... I think you're right. I'm on a good way. Thank you, Doctor!" She had been completely confused, and also she was worried since she had had no idea what game Emily was playing but something had told her that she should use this opportunity. So after she had signed some papers she had left the principal's office, had gone back to her room and had started packing her suitcase.  
The only hard thing had been saying goodbye to Louise. She had become a good friend and leaving her behind had felt completely wrong. But Victoria had also looked forward to get out, to go home to the Hamptons even if that meant to face Emily Thorne. In this moment she had felt stronger than ever.  
Now she stood in front of the psychiatry, turned her back on the building and was about to make her way home when she realized that she wasn't a prisoner anymore. She was Victoria Grayson and she wouldn't walk. So she pulled out her phone, which she had gotten back after her conversation with the principal, to call her driver. But when she switched it on, she had about a million missed calls, most of them from Conrad and Patrick. She couldn't explain why Conrad had been able to call her out of prison, but she didn't care enough to think about it. She was more worried about Patrick who had called very often and she tried to call him back. He must have been very concerned about her and she felt so sorry for everything; he had no idea where she had been. He must have thought the worst when she never had answered his calls but she knew he would understand it if she would tell him where she had been. But unfortunately, he didn't answer the call, so she decided to try it again later. Instead, she checked her voice mails in case that she had missed something important. The first message told her that her ordered dress had been finished and that it would be delivered within a few days. The second one reminded her to pay her phone bill. Two messages had come from Daniel, one of them sounded very angry but she couldn't blame him for that. He really must think that she wouldn't care about him anymore. The last two messages were from Conrad. He had yelled at her just a few days ago and according to him, he wasn't in prison anymore which worried Victoria. She was sure that Conrad had chosen a very dubious way to get out. The last one had been sent three days ago and Victoria decided not to listen to it. She didn't need another outburst by her ex-husband. Instead she tapped the picture he had sent her. When she saw the photo which showed her oldest son's blood covered face, Victoria screamed frightened and her phone fell to the ground. Her eyes were filled with tears and she felt so much pain and fear. With shaking hands, she picked up the phone and tried to concentrate, which was really hard because she wanted to get to her son... if it wasn't already too late. Tenderly, she touched the spot where Patrick's injured face was visible on the screen. All the hope she had felt just a few minutes ago was gone. If Patrick was dead she would be finally done. She had lost him such a long time ago and the moment he had appeared in the Hamptons two years ago had been one of the happiest in her life. She couldn't imagine losing him again! If she would just know where to search for him... But in all her excitement about Patrick Victoria had forgotten the second of Conrad's voicemails. If she listened to it, maybe she would be able to save her son. So she took a deep breath and selected the message. "I give you three days to come to the old Grayson Global building. Otherwise, your beloved son will die like so many others before him!"  
Again, the phone was about to fall from Victoria's shaking hand. This was a nightmare and she had no idea how it would end. The message had been sent three days ago. If Patrick was still alive she didn't have much time left.

"Patrick!? Conrad!? Where are you?" Full of fear, Victoria ran through the old building. It smelled bad, everywhere was dirt and dust but she couldn't care about that. She had to find her son until it was too late. She knew what Conrad was capable of and she didn't doubt for a second that he would kill Patrick after the three days. "Patrick!?" Victoria panicked more and more, she already saw Patrick's motionless body lying on the ground. She continued wandering around in the ruin, screaming her son's name over and over again. But she seemed to be alone. Crying, she sank down on a big stone, everything was over. Conrad must have killed Patrick and she hadn't been able to help him. She just sat there, it felt like time had stopped and she couldn't do anything but crying. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Frightened, she jumped up and turned around. Conrad was standing right in front of her, with a vicious smile. "Oh, you decided to come. What a wonderful surprise, I thought you wouldn't show up anymore. And Patrick must have thought the same when I killed him an hour ago." Victoria gasped, "You killed him!?" Conrad kept smiling. "I told you I would. How could I know that you would come, I didn't hear anything from you since I have been sent to prison. Excuse me, but I thought you wouldn't care about your family anymore." Victoria's heart was broken. After she hadn't found Patrick in the building, she had assumed that he was dead but to hear it from Conrad and to see him smiling made everything so much worse. "How could you do that!? You know how much I loved him!" Tears ran over her face while she tried to hit every spot of Conrad she could reach. Everything was over and it was his entire fault. Victoria started to lose control over herself, she smote upon Conrad while screaming and crying. She just couldn't endure all this pain; she'd lost so much and now even her son had been killed. "Victoria. Stop that!" Angrily, Conrad grabbed her wrists to avoid any further hits. She tried to break free but Conrad was too strong. "You listen to me! I knew you would come to rescue your son and I really appreciate that. But I had a reason to do that. I need your help!" Victoria couldn't believe it. He really wanted her to help him!? "Conrad, you just killed my son! And now you expect me to do you a favor!?", she yelled. Conrad started smiling again, which made Victoria even angrier. "Stop smiling! This is NOT funny!" Conrad released her wrists and Victoria was about to start hitting him again. But Conrad took a step back and raised his hand. "Calm down, Victoria! Maybe Patrick isn't really dead..." Victoria lowered her fists. "What do you mean?", she asked warily, "You just told me that you killed him." Conrad shook his head. "I didn't. I just thought you would like to taste some of the pain which I can inflict on you. Patrick isn't dead... yet. But if you refuse to help me, he will die. And this time it will be for real." Victoria swallowed. She felt relieved but on the other hand, she didn't know whether she could trust Conrad. She wiped away some tears. "I want to see him." Conrad laughed. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? I'm the only one who knows where he is and that's how it's going to stay! So... will you help me?" Victoria nodded reluctantly, "Do I have a choice?" Conrad started smiling again. "Thank you, darling. I knew you would agree to my plan." "Well, what am I supposed to do?" It displeased her to work together with Conrad again but if she wanted to see Patrick alive, she had to do whatever he wanted. "I think you already suspected that I'm not... let's say 'officially released' from prison. So I need you to make them reopen my trial and exonerate me." "How!?" Conrad shrugged his shoulders, "That's your business. Do whatever you want, I give you one week. If I'm a free man until then, Patrick can go. If not..." He made an unmistakable gesture with his hand and Victoria swallowed again. She had no idea how to do all this in one week but she wouldn't give up so early. She had to be strong and use all her abilities.

When Victoria walked up to the Grayson Manor, she was kind of curious. She hadn't been here for a while and she had no idea what had happened to her old home. But before she reached the manor, something else drew her attention. The beach house which had always been cared for and lit seemed deserted and uninhabited. Where was Emily? Slowly, Victoria stepped through the sand and approached the house. There had definitely nobody lived in for a while. Carefully not to make any noises, Victoria opened the front door and entered the beach house. The darkness reminded her of the ruins in which she had spent the morning and a shiver ran down her spine. All of this was really strange, why would Emily leave her home? Then, Victoria spotted some wet mud on the carpet. Someone had been here recently. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling from the first floor. "Hello? Who is that!?" A very familiar voice. "Is someone there?" But this was impossible! Victoria went to the foot of the stairs. "David?", she whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

****5****  
Heart pounding, Victoria made her way up the stairs. The day had been full of surprises; good and bad ones and she wasn't sure if she wanted another one. But it had definitely been David whom she had heard and that was too strange. "Victoria?" David Clarke himself stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at her. In the moment their eyes met, Victoria felt so many things at once: Love, pain, guilt, fear, relief, excitement, shyness. She didn't know what to say or what to do, she was so confused and the situation completely overwhelmed her. Slowly, David came down the stairs up to the spot where Victoria was still standing. "What are you doing here?" His voice was tender as ever and so many memories appeared in Victoria's head. She still couldn't say anything. This was the second time this day that a dead person was revealed to be alive; everything was just too much. "I... I don't know." She felt empty and numb. David stretched out his arm and touched her shoulder. "Victoria? Are you all right?" The way he said her name almost made her faint. There was so much love in his voice and she felt so bad after everything she had done. She didn't deserve his affection; David was supposed to hate her. But he didn't. "Come down, I'll get you some water", he said, took her arm and led her down the stairs. Like a machine Victoria took the water glass David gave her. "I bet, you're surprised to see me!" he said and smiled. Victoria nodded. She still wasn't able to do or say anything useful so she just sat there. David laughed. It was a sound she had missed and she had thought that she would never hear it again. Shyly, she looked at David. He was older than the man in her memories which wasn't a surprise; she hadn't seen him for over twenty years. But he still had the same eyes, the same smile and Victoria couldn't stop looking at him. David took the seat next to her. "Well, when I was stabbed ten years ago, I survived. Some strangers picked me up and took care of my wound. But I listened to a conversation between them and they weren't really nice people. They had helped me because they had their own planes and so I escaped in the middle of the night as soon as I was able to walk." Victoria tried to handle all that new information but she couldn't really concentrate on David's story. She was still too shocked by the fact that he was alive and that he was actually talking to her. David continued: "I didn't know where to go; I didn't want to be sent back to jail. And I couldn't risk contacting you because of Conrad. So I decided to wait until it was safe to show up. I regretted that decision when I heard about Amanda's death two years ago-" David swallowed. At the mention of his daughter, a sad expression came over his face. Victoria knew she should tell him about Amanda but she decided to wait till the next morning. She didn't have to rush anything. And also, she had to admit that at least a little part of her wanted to have David's full attention. So she waited for him to continue. "I wanted to come to her funeral but I couldn't risk it. So I just waited. And then, a few weeks ago, it finally happened. Conrad was sent to jail and my name was cleared. So I came back to search for you, but I couldn't find you. Fortunately, the beach house was empty so I hid in here. Until now." Slowly David took Victoria's hand and squeezed it. Then he noticed the look in her eyes. "Is something wrong?" He seemed honestly concerned. Victoria looked into his eyes and took a deep breath. "Why don't you hate me? After everything I have done you shouldn't sit here with me. You are supposed to be angry." David sighed. "I always assumed that you had been the one who betrayed me twenty years ago. So I was right?" Victoria's eyes filled with tears. "I did. David, you're right, I betrayed you. And I am so, so sorry! I regretted it ever since; I have never been able to forgive myself." Victoria felt awful and she was sure that after this revelation David would walk away and leave her alone in the dark. She tried to find the disappointment in David's eyes but it wasn't there. He wiped a tear from her cheek and gave her a soft smile. "I never stopped loving you, Victoria. You made a mistake, that's true. But I also did, and I can't blame you for the rest of your life." "I would deserve it!" She couldn't believe that he actually forgave her. To hear these tender words from him made her feeling even more despicable than she already did. She didn't seem to deserve it. But David always had seen the best in a person and he hadn't changed. "No one's perfect, Victoria. But you are getting very close."  
Carefully, he pulled her in an embrace and for a while, they just sat there. Victoria couldn't describe all her feelings but for the first time in a long she felt completely safe.

After a long time of silence, David cleared his throat. "There's something else: When I searched for you in the manor, someone else lived in there." Victoria frowned. "Who was it?" "A young woman, her name is Emily Thorne. Do you know anything about her?" Victoria gasped. Emily had moved into her house? "Of course! She had lived in the beach house for the last years and she was married to my son!" She knew that this was the perfect opportunity to tell David about Emily's true identity, but again she decided against that. "A lot of people went through hell because of her, me included! She was the one who locked me up in-" She paused. She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell David where she had been the last weeks, but she didn't have to. "The psychiatry?", David finished her sentence. Victoria looked at him with a hint of suspicion. "How do you know about that!?" David smiled and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Who did you think made them release you?" "David, what happened?" If David had brought himself into danger to save her, it was her fault... again. "Don't worry, everything's all right. When I was looking for you at the manor, I heard Emily talking to someone on her phone. She told them to take care of you in Clairmont until she would tell them something else. But since she lived in your house, I thought that something was wrong so I sent your principal a lot of money and he let you go." David seemed very pleased with himself. "I'm so glad to have you back, Victoria", he whispered and placed a kiss on her forehead. The touch of his lips made her feel so protected and loved and for a moment she just wanted to enjoy all of this. But she still wasn't convinced. "Where did you get the money? Did you steal it!?" David laughed and pulled her closer. "Of course not. Do you remember our safe? When we decided to run away twenty years ago, we put a little fortune into it to hide it from Conrad. The whole plan never happened but apparently you never came to get the money back; so I used it to save you. I hope that's okay for you!" Victoria smiled. "Of course!" Relieved, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thank you, David. I really thought I would never leave that place again."

Patrick had no idea where he was. He was blindfolded, gagged and he couldn't move. Also, he didn't know how much time had passed but by the fact that he was still alive he concluded that either Victoria had shown up in time or that the three days weren't even over yet. After some time, which felt endless, Patrick heard steps coming up to him. "Well, well... you're lucky, Patrick", Conrad said, "I talked to your mother a few hours ago and she's willing to help me." Patrick tried to say something but the toggle made it impossible. Conrad laughed. "You won't believe me but I really enjoy this." And how Patrick believed it! Every single of Conrad's words showed how much he loved his powerful position. He continued: "You know, when I was in prison, I was forced to do whatever somebody told me. That was a very humiliating time, but now that is over! I can do what I want." Yes, Patrick had already experienced that. He desperately tried to make a noise but it was hopeless. "Do you want to say something?" Patrick nodded. There really were a lot of things he'd love to say. But Conrad had other things in mind. "Then you will have to wait until next week... provided that your mother adheres to our plan." Patrick couldn't believe it. Conrad wanted to let him sit here for a whole week? He didn't have anything to eat or at least some water and also the floor on which he sat wasn't very comfortable. But Conrad didn't seem to care about that. "You're such a pathetic guy, Patrick. You wanted to play the great hero by saving your mother but unfortunately, you had to discover that she wasn't even in danger. Very, very sad. You really must feel like the world's greatest idiot." Patrick tried not to listen to him. He knew that Conrad just tried to provoke him but he was right. Patrick's situation was miserable and that all wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been so damn naïve. "Poor Patrick", Conrad said in a condescending tone, "I guess you really want to be with your mom. But don't worry. She will be here soon to save you." Patrick was full of rage and he tugged at his bonds. But everything was senseless. He could just hope that Victoria would find a way to get him out of all this.

Victoria sat on the sofa in the beach house, wrapped up in a blanket. David had fallen asleep a few hours ago but she wasn't tired. So she just sat there and watched him in his peaceful sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about his smile and the way he had said her name, and that he loved her. To be together with David had been a cure to all her wounds and she had felt completely safe. Also, it had made her forget all her other problems... for example the fact that she had no idea how to rescue her son. If she wanted to save him within a week, she had to hurry up and make a plan. But then, when she thought about Patrick, she was hidden by a sudden realization: If she went to court and made them exonerate Conrad, they would be forced to return to their old story about David Clarke as a terrorist. So if Conrad was free, David's name would be dishonored again. But if she tried to save David, Conrad wouldn't come clean and then he would kill Patrick. Victoria couldn't see a way out of this conflict; it was impossible to save them both. Again, like twenty years ago, Victoria Grayson had to make a decision: Lover or child?


	6. Chapter 6

****6****  
When Emily Thorne woke up this morning, she knew that it would be a perfect day. Since she lived in the old Grayson Manor, she felt like the hero of a very long story and thinking about Conrad in prison and Victoria in psychiatry gave her great satisfaction. She had cleared her father's name and with that she had finally done her mission. With a proud and triumphant smile, Emily stepped out on the balcony. Victoria's balcony. But now it was hers like everything else which had once belonged to the Graysons.  
Standing on the balcony and looking down on everything made her feel like the new queen of the Hamptons. Slowly, she let her eyes wander over her kingdom and now she could imagine why Victoria had always loved this place. But when her eyes met the beach house, she thought about all the things that had happened in there. First of all, the framing of her father. Years later, her kiss with Jack. And just a few weeks ago, she had found Aiden's dead body on the couch. Emily bit her lip. She didn't want to think about Aiden, the thought was still too painful. Like her father, he would still be alive if Victoria hadn't been. But Emily had made her pay. Victoria would never hurt anyone else again; she would take care of that. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm sunshine on her face. Later this day, she wanted to meet Nolan and Jack in the city to have some fun and she looked forward to do something normal like meeting friends. But everything turned out differently than planned. "Miss Thorne?", Emily was snapped out of her thoughts by one of her maids, "Your presence is desired. There's someone who claims to be your father."

One hour ago:  
"David, I really don't know what to do! Either you will be in danger, or Patrick! And believe me, Conrad will kill him if I don't do what he wants; he is capable of everything." Victoria couldn't calm down; this whole situation was so much more difficult than she had thought in the first place. Nervously, she walked up and down in the beach house while David tried to calm her. "I know what a person Conrad is, I experienced that twenty years ago. But there is no point to get upset, we have to concentrate and think about it. And hell, Victoria, stop walking around in here; that is not helpful!" He grabbed her arm to make her stop. Angrily and hurt, Victoria looked into his eyes. "My son is in danger! I can't just sit here and stay calm. I have no idea what to do, I checked my bank accounts in the morning and they are all empty! Emily must have hacked them, just in case. I won't be able to safe Patrick without some money, and if I lose him again, I-" Victoria paused. Tears welled up in her eyes; all of this was too much. Comforting, David put his arms around her and pulled her close while silent tears ran down her face. "Victoria, I know this is hard for you. But trust me, we'll find a way. Please stop crying." He gently stroked her hair. "I'm so afraid", she whispered. "Look at me", David said and she did. Her eyes were full of tears and there was so much pain in her look that it almost made David's heart break. "I know, Victoria. But you are a strong woman! And as long as we both are together, there's nothing we can't do." Victoria took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Thank you, David. I just can't imagine losing Patrick... or you." "I know exactly what you feel. It is awful to lose a child, and I really don't want you to make that experience!"  
In that moment Victoria realized what David had to endure. It already was so painful for her to be afraid of losing her son. How must David feel since he lived with the fact that his own daughter was really dead? Only now Victoria understood what David had went through during the last two years and she couldn't let him suffer like that even one more second. "David?" She wasn't sure how he would react to this. "There's something I need to tell you... about your daughter." David seemed surprised. "Amanda? What is it?" Victoria closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "Well, the woman everyone knew as Amanda Clarke... her real name was Emily Thorne." David frowned, "wasn't that the woman who locked you away and moved into your house?" Victoria shook her head. "No. Or yes... they switched identities. I found out about that just a few weeks ago. The woman who died two years ago wasn't your daughter." David seemed confused, and then he started to understand. "So, are you saying that Amanda... is alive!?" Victoria nodded. "And you already saw her. She lives right next door." David had to sit down. "I can't believe that", he whispered, "my daughter is alive!" Victoria tried to be happy for him but it was hard. After everything his daughter had done, she couldn't just stop hating her. Suddenly, David's face clouded. "You told me so many bad things about 'Emily'. Why would she do all that? She had always been such a nice person, she never could hurt anyone!" Victoria swallowed. She didn't like to destroy David's memory of his daughter but he had to know the truth. "Well, now she can. Actually, she did this for you. She came back to the Hamptons to revenge your death. She destroyed everyone who had something to do with the conspiracy around your trial. She was the one who sent Conrad to prison and cleared your name, but her biggest target was me. She makes me responsible for everything." David was shocked. "That can't be true! I know Amanda; she would never do something like that!" Victoria realized that this was more difficult than she had thought. "David, believe me. She's not the girl you think you know. She is not Amanda anymore." All of a sudden, David went angry. "Victoria, are you trying to manipulate me!? Do you want me to see my own daughter in a bad light?" "Why should I do that!? David, please", she begged, "You have to believe me. I know it is hard to understand, but it is the truth!" She reached for his hand but David pushed her away. "No! I will talk to her myself! I have to see her!" "So you choose Amanda over me? What is about Patrick? You wanted to help me!" David looked at her angrily. "Don't tell me not to choose my daughter over you. You did the very same twenty years ago!" With these words, David stormed out of the house and left Victoria alone in the middle of the room. She felt like the greatest idiot. She had done everything wrong, after this David would hate her and Emily would have finally won. Victoria could just hope that David would eventually see what his sweet little girl had become.

David was full of anger when he made his way up to the Grayson Manor. He couldn't believe how Victoria had talked about Amanda; she couldn't have become such a monster! And also Victoria shouldn't have tried to hold him back from going to see his daughter. He had thought she was dead for over two years so it was just normal that he wanted to talk to her. David felt hurt. He had been so understanding and kind and he had expected the same from Victoria. That she had tried to fool him with her story disappointed him in such a deep way. For a moment he actually wondered if she had told him the truth but he pushed that thought away. He knew Amanda better than anyone else and it didn't matter that he hadn't seen her for two decades. She would still be the person he remembered!  
After a few minutes David reached the front door of the manor and with pounding heart he knocked. A maid opened the door. "Excuse me, what's your name? We are not allowed to let strangers into the house." "My name doesn't matter." David swallowed before he said the words which would finally led him to his beloved daughter, "I have to talk to Emily Thorne. I am her father."

When David saw the young woman who came down the stairs he instantly knew that she had to be his daughter. He saw it in her eyes, which widened when she spotted him. He saw it in the way she moved when she walked up to him and stopped right in front of him. He heard it in her voice when she started to speak. "Daddy?" Then he couldn't wait any longer and wrapped his arms around her. "It's me, Amanda. Oh my god, I can't believe that you are alive." Amanda freed herself from his embrace and looked at him. "What are you doing here? You died ten years ago!" Tears welled up in her eyes when she looked at her father and she seemed unable to believe that he was standing right in front of her. David shook his head. "I didn't how you can see. But don't you want to go somewhere else to talk?" Amanda agreed, then she led him into the luxurious garden behind the house and David started to tell. The whole time Amanda listened intently to his story without interrupting him. "So I hid in the beach house until now.", he ended. Amanda shook her head. "How did you find out about me?" David hesitated. In case that Victoria was right about Amanda he didn't want to bring her into danger so he decided not to mention his lover. "I saw you... and then I realized who you actually were." It was a lie and David hated to lie to his daughter right from the start, but he also had to protect Victoria. Quickly he changed the subject. "Enough about me. What have you done all those years?" Amanda sighed. "Well, I never stopped fighting for you. Since I thought you were dead I couldn't just live a normal life as if nothing had ever happened!" David was confused, "What do you mean? What have you done, Amanda?" Amanda shook her head. "I'm not Amanda anymore. I know you wanted me to forgive, but I couldn't. I made them all pay for the things they did to you." David couldn't believe that these words had actually come from his daughter. Nothing in the way she talked reminded of the girl she had been years ago and David realized that Victoria had been right. "Amanda... or Emily, whatever you prefer... How could you do all of this? You hurt a lot of innocent people! You can't just walk around and destroy lives where ever you want!" Then David realized that he had gone too far. Amanda's eyes were filled with tears. "Daddy, I did all this for you! To clear your name. And it worked, you are free now." Hesitantly David put his arm around her shoulder. "I know and it really means a lot. And I agree with you, some people completely deserved it-" "Like Victoria! She destroyed our life!" David swallowed. To hear such hard words from Amanda was painful. He loved Victoria and it made him sad that his daughter couldn't forgive her. "But don't worry, Daddy", she continued, "I made Victoria go through hell for all her sins. She's a horrible person, I hope you know that! But she's far away and if she ever finds a way to come back, I swear I'll kill her!" David toke his arm away from Amanda's shoulder and looked at her as if he had never seen her before. And suddenly he realized how much he had hurt Victoria earlier. She had been completely right about his daughter and had just tried to help by telling him the truth. And he had had nothing else to do than getting angry at her. He really owed her an apologize and then a great idea popped up in his mind. "Amanda, if you still want to help me, you can do that now. I didn't want to bring up this subject so early but I'm in a very difficult situation right now." Amanda gave him a worried look. "Of course I'll help you. What happened?" David toke a deep breath. This was the moment when he had to decide on which side he stood. Should he tell Amanda that he had saved Victoria and that he wanted to help her with Patrick? Amanda wouldn't just refuse to help, she would also come after Victoria and David couldn't let that happen. Amanda had to believe that Victoria was still in the psychiatry and so David decided to tell one more lie to protect the woman he loved. "Conrad got in contact with me. He wants me to go to court and bribe someone to clear his name. He claims to know were Charlotte is and if I don't do it within a week he will sent someone to hurt her... I have to protect her, she is my daughter. But I don't have any money so I thought that maybe you could go." It felt terrible to tell such a big lie to Amanda but David couldn't help himself. Amanda nodded, "Of course. I will do it, Charlotte is also my sister! I'll go right tomorrow then you don't have to worry about her." David sighed in relief and smiled at his daughter. Then he remembered something else: "And make sure that Conrad and I are both free men after this. I don't want to be forced to hide again if they decide to put the blame back on me!" Amanda laughed and that sound showed David that there was still a little part of his girl in this woman. "Believe me, Dad. For the money I can offer them they will do everything! You and Charlotte will both be save after tomorrow."


End file.
